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KC NWSL plays Houston Sunday in KCK

For the second time in the 2021 regular season, and the third time in all 2021 competitions, Kansas City NWSL (0-2-2) faces the Houston Dash (1-1-2).

The latest meeting between the two sides is slated to take place at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 6, at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas.

Kansas City is looking to rebound following a hard-fought 1-0 loss to league-leading Orlando Pride last Sunday, while the Dash are hoping to ride a wave of positive momentum following a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Red Stars last Saturday.

Teams played to a draw on May 23

These two teams met for the first time in the regular season on May 23 in Houston, as both sides played to a thrilling 2-2 draw.

Kansas City struck first with a well-positioned goal in the 13th minute. Midfielder Gaby Vincent started the move with an incredible long ball ahead of forward Mallory Weber, who outpaced Houston’s defense to get to the ball. She played a one-time pass across the 18-yard box to forward Amy Rodriguez, and Rodriguez capitalized with a sliding finish at the back post to give the visitors the lead.

Houston responded in the second half with two goals in quick succession. Forward Rachel Daly, who scored when the two teams met in the 2021 Challenge Cup, lofted a header over Kansas City goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart to level the game in the 60th minute. Six minutes later, Kansas City native Shea Groom headed in a corner kick to catapult Houston into the lead.

In the 69th minute, Kansas City defender Elizabeth Ball picked up her second yellow card of the match resulting in a red card and leaving the visitors down a player for the remainder of the contest.

Head coach Huw Williams made adjustments to KC’s on-field personnel in search of an equalizer, and an equalizer came in added time through defender Taylor Leach.

Forward Marianna Larroquette found Leach with an inch-perfect cross inside the box, and Leach headed it in. Leach’s goal came in two minutes into extra time and proved to be the last goal in the match.

Short-handed KC searches for first win

Kansas City’s quest for its first victory in franchise history will be a bit tougher due to key players being unavailable on Sunday. Midfielders Desiree Scott, Jordyn Listro and Victoria Pickett will be with the Canadian National Team for two friendlies. The trio features on Canada’s 29-player roster as the team prepares for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

In addition, midfielders Chloe Logarzo and Lo’eau LaBonta remain out due to injury.

With the missing pieces in the midfield, an opportunity presents itself for several other Kansas City players to step up in the center of the pitch. Players like rookie midfielder Addie McCain, who played 90 minutes against Orlando last weekend, appear to be in line to step up in a critical spot.

Players to watch

Houston Dash: Midfielder Kristie Mewis — The standout midfielder is an important piece of the Dash’s midfield and could pose a threat to Kansas City’s midfield. Mewis scored the game-winning goal in Houston’s 2-1 victory over Chicago last weekend and has one assist to her name as well. Mewis notched two goals in the 2021 Challenge Cup. In the regular season. Mewis has thrived as a playmaker, with eight key passes and two successful crosses. Kansas City’s young midfield will need to slow Mewis down on Sunday afternoon.

Kansas City NWSL: Goalkeeper Abby Smith — In her first game back from injury, Smith made several key stops and was nominated for the NWSL’s Save of the Week against the Orlando Pride last week. Smith made three saves in the match. In the one goal conceded in the match, Smith was able to get a hand on it and nearly keep it from crossing the goal line.

Jessica Silva could provide offensive assistance

Forward Jéssica Silva signed with the club on May 10 and began training with the team this week. The 26-year-old Portuguese international joined KC NWSL from French side Olympique Lyonnaise (OL). Injuries hampered her time at OL, but Silva is a dangerous attacking threat when healthy. If Silva is able to enter the match for KC, she should provide a spark for her side’s offense.

Sunday’s match will be broadcast on Paramount+ and locally on SportsRadio 810 WHB. Mike Watts and Kacey White will provide coverage and analysis for the national broadcast on Paramount+ while Brad Porter and Aly Trost will bring the action to listeners on WHB.

Tickets are available for the match. More information can be found at KCWoso.com/tickets.

KC NWSL drops close decision in Orlando

Kansas City NWSL concluded its stretch of three games in eight days as the expansion side battled against the league-leading Orlando Pride in Florida.

Orlando took the early lead with a controversial goal that just barely crossed the goal line in the 16th minute. Kansas City played the Pride even in nearly every category the rest of the way, but was unable to find the equalizer as they fell 1-0 on the road.

Kansas City came out with six lineup changes from its recent match against Chicago on Wednesday.

“It’s very important for us to be making sure that we give opportunities to everybody in a squad,” head coach Huw Williams said. “This league is so competitive and has so many tough games that we have to give experiences to all the players.”

Although Kansas City held the advantage in possession, a 16th-minute Orlando goal off a header from Alex Morgan, that the assistant referee judged to be tapped over the goal line by Marta, decided the game.

“It’s just frustrating,” Kansas City goalkeeper Abby Smith said. “But at the end of the day the referee is going to make the call and we don’t have VAR (Video Assistant Referee) to go back and check so they stuck with their call and that’s all we can do. We just go back home, keep training and look forward to next Sunday against Houston.”

Kansas City had its best chance in the 51st minute of the second half when defender Kristen Edmonds crossed a beautiful ball to forward Mallory Weber who headed it just wide of Orlando Pride’s net.

An unfortunate error from Kansas City defender Katie Bowen in the penalty box gave the Pride and Morgan a penalty kick in the 66th minute. Morgan’s shot pinged off the left post of the goal, keeping Kansas City within one score.

Kansas City was dominant in the second half in maintaining possession over Orlando. The team continued to search for the equalizer even as the game went into added time.

Midfielder Gaby Vincent nearly played the hero role for Kansas City with a breakaway that was just blocked at the last moment.

Kansas City returns home with a week to prepare for its next game on Sunday, June 6, against the Houston Dash. This will be the third match for the two teams since the Challenge Cup and the first since Kansas City scored in the final minutes to secure a draw on May 23.

The June 6 match against Houston at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas, kicks off at 1 p.m. Tickets and group packages are available at KCWoso.com/tickets.

Story from KC NWSL

Chicago 2nd-half surge spoils KC NWSL home opener

by Brian Turrel

Kansas City NWSL opened its home regular season at Legends Field on Wednesday evening in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 5,272, but ended with a 2-0 loss to the Chicago Red Stars.

The Red Stars scored twice within 3 minutes in the second half.

Chicago substitutes Mallory Pugh and Kealia Watt, brought on in the 60th minute, scored just seven minutes later when Pugh fed the ball to Watt for a shot past Kansas City goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart.

On the next Chicago run, Pugh connected with Makenzy Doniak to make the score 2-0.

Kansas City created some early dangerous chances, especially a shot by Mariana Larroquette midway through the half that was only saved by a leaping dive from Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, but Kansas City couldn’t get the offensive pressure going and had no shots on target in the second half.

KC NWSL plays next at Orlando on May 30. The team returns home to face the Houston Dash on June 6 at 1 p.m.